Shattered Images
by Priestess of Passion
Summary: --To an untrained mind what I, Bulma Briefs, am about to do may seem to reflect me as a juvenile delinquent. Or just someone doped up on crake but the truth it neither.-- AU DBZ HS. VB GC KJ
1. Part I

**a/n**: I should not be starting another story. But I can't help it. I've already got it all planned out though! It will be a short story just like 'Shades of Perfection'.

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_**Scattered Images**_  
_By: Priestess of Passion_

To an untrained mind what I, Bulma Briefs, am about to do may seem to reflect me as a juvenile delinquent. Or just someone doped up on crake but the truth it neither. Ok, I'll admit that I've done my fair share of stupid deeds in my 17 years of life but this is by far one of them. Everyone has to take a chance once in a while in life and well, mine's is just bigger than most. Besides, just because I'm here driving 55 miles per hour on a one lane road, a mountain road, a road that if you swerve to the right just a bit more you could end up flying down towards the pacific ocean, doesn't make me a complete idiot does it? Did I also happen to mention that this is my first time I'm driving 55mph?--scratch that, this is my **first time** driving _period_. "Wait for it…" My companion on the passenger side voiced calmly. I have to give him credit for even sitting in the car, let alone remain so calm the whole time. Inhaling deeply I let the air blow out between my lips slowly, focusing my eyes on the uphill curve of the road ahead. 

"And…now!"

On his command I shifted the gears stepping my foot on the accelerator making the speedometer mark an 80mph as we shifted slightly vertical going uphill.

"Ok, break."

Slowly coming to a stop I couldn't help the smile that started spreading across my face as I turned towards my small but cheerful audience.

"So how did I do? Do you think I'll pass the test?" Stepping out of the vehicle I received my first hug from my two best friends, Chichi and Juu.

"You're a born natural." Chichi had perfect features, dark brown eyes, perfect lips, tanned olive skin. Her long, thick, black hair was twisted elegantly into two French braids tonight. Slender hands with nails painted dark green held brushed back a stray of hair that blew onto her face by the soft ocean wind.

"We should defiantly celebrate tomorrow night once you get your licenses."

**If **I got my license. Everyone seemed so confident about me being able to drive and this was the first time I drove. Apparently they had never considered the fact that today might have been just 'beginners luck' that I didn't crash and die. 

Juu's voice always had an air of confidence in it, along with elegance. She was like a model that walked out from the covers of Seventeen magazines. Straight blonde hair that reached a little past her shoulders, touching her bare back. Her eye's were sky blue, thick luscious lashes against her porcelain skin gave her a classic beauty.

In normally circumstances, I would have listened to my dear older brother and wait until he comes back from taking his final exams in the prestigious Princeton University to teach me how to drive. But that was before I found out the fact that everyone my age in school already has their licenses, since _last year_. Leaving me, not only to be the 'new girl' in school but also 'the-new-girl-without-a-drivers'-licenses'.

Great way to fit in right?

Besides, my brother did request that I make an effort to get more involved in school and as a good little sister that wishes nothing more than to please her always-loving older brother I somehow managed to become voted as class president on the second day of school. Surprising right? Considering I don't even know half the people in my class. And as a class president I need to be on top of things, which would includes my driving skills if I am to get anywhere around here.

"GUYS! Roshi's heading back." At the sound of Goku's carefree voice me, Chichi and Juu sprinted towards the sleek Honda Civic as Goku made his way towards the driver's seat.

A small smile tugged at my lips as my eyes wander over the three in the car. In the span of a two months summer vacation that I've spent here in sunny California, a state on the other side of the continent in which I have lived my whole life in, right before the beginning of my sophomore year in a high school I've never heard of I was taken lovingly under the wings of a group of neighboring teens that lived on the same block as me.

My blue eyes scanned the front yard and driveway of the huge two three level house. My keen memory of the day I moved into my new home distinctly reminded me that _this_ was the place where I had almost been hit by a football traveling 70mph through the air towards my face.

And the person that directed that ball was leaning casually against his jet black Acura on my driveway.

I smiled.

His impatient grin.

His muscular arms crossed over a well-toned chest. Skin that was tanned from the hours of visiting the beach, a silver necklace dangled in the small opening of his black shirt and faded rip jeans completed the look.

Does everyone in California look that good?

Like they just walked out from a photo studio?

Or was it just her group of friends that just so happens to live in the same block as her.

Getting out of the car, my skin automatically braced itself for an air of cold wind but only to relax as the warm summer air wrapped around me. Well, you can't expect me to be use to California weather in just two months compared to my whole life in New York.

"You have exactly 15 seconds to _act_ like you've been studying the whole time." Vegeta tossed the binoculars into one of the empty seats in the back as I ran pass him, my eyes still meeting his dark brown ones as I stepped up the white marble porch.

"Ditto." A lopsided grin covered my face as I saluted him before the two cars backed out from the driveway.

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**a/n**: Tell me what you think? It was inspired by Meg Cabot's novels. 


	2. Part II

**a/n:** So I'm finally updating this story. I hope you still remembered what happened in the first chapter! I have high hopes for this story. I've decided to make this fic decently but satisfyingly short. I'd say maybe 5 to 7 chapters? But too soon to tell just yet haha. Enjoy!!

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**_Scattered Images_**  
Part II

That is the sound of chirping birds. _Not_ the afternoon traffic.

That is the distant sound of the ocean waves. _Not_ the distant sound of sirens from cops or the ambulance.

Pure, bright sunlight. _Not_ the ones covered by clouds of smoke and pollution.

"Well, well, well. Look who's finally awake," A masculine voice greeted from the right of me, near the balcony window of my room. "Snow white herself."

I rolled my head to the side, finding a black haired boy my age with his usual half smirk aimed at me.

"Afternoon to you too, Vegeta."

"Nightmares?" He raised a perfect eyebrow as his dark eyes took in the scene of books half opened laying around the floor, pencils broken in half, empty DVD cases, a cup of unfinished coffee, empty chocolate wrappers, and me pulling myself up in a safer position than half my body dangling off the edge of the bed with sheets twisted around my waist and legs.

"Had to go save the world again."

He "hmm"-ed.

I stumbled my way into the bathroom in my room, splashing cold water on my face and taking care of my personal hygiene.

"How'd you get in here anyway?" I poked my head out from the bathroom to see he's attention on my computer.

Quickly turning back to the mirror to brush out my hair I was mildly surprised to see that I didn't look half as bad as I thought I would.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'm one of those people that could pull off looking great even without combing their hair and with one end of their shirts tucked up. But considering the fact that I've only had two hours of sleep last night doing homework, organizing the schedule and budget as a class president, then waking up at 6am to sneak out of the house for a forbidden driving test isn't exactly you're typical Saturday morning in California (or anywhere else in this world for that matter).

"You're grandfather." He glanced at me as I stepped out of the bathroom, "Ok let's go."

I stared at him.

"What?" A truly confused look graced his features. Not something you see often.

I frowned down at what I've been wearing since 6am: my white shorts and a dark brown t-shirt which is wrinkled from this afternoon's nap.

"You look fine."

Males, completely no sense of fashion.

Without any warning, he launched up from the seat and grabbed my hands before dragging me out of the room. And without any warning my face started burning as my foot automatically followed him matching his steps.

What's **wrong** with me? It's not like this is the first time Vegeta's held my hand. Ok, so this is the _second_.

The first one was when the football he threw almost hit me if I hadn't tripped over a pot of dirt in the front yard at that exact moment. He had jumped over the fence that separated his lawn from mine only to find me spawn across the ground in a daze and offered his hand to pull me back up from the bed of flowers I was crushing.

And I distinctly remember my face being flushed at that time just like now, except that time I can blame it on the sun and how embarrassing I looked on a pile of freshly planted flowers that I was crushing with my enormous rear end.

Vegeta's black Acura was parked at the same spot he parked it last night on my driveway. If it weren't for Krillan standing watching for Roshi (my grandpa) to return at his always unpredictable hours, and Vegeta to make the house seem like it has been occupied with me studying and attempting to make dinner, and Goku for teaching and offering up his Honda for me to drive, and Juu and Chi's moral support I never would have gotten my license in two days.

* * *

I can barely remember how my life was like before she appeared in it. 

Bulma Briefs, I mean.

What did I do during the summers back then? What did I do during my free times? Did I ever laugh as much as I do now?

Remembering the day when I first met her wasn't hard even though it seems like it's been years since then, and not actually 2 months ago.

It was Kakkarote (aka Goku), my little brother Genii, and me at the back of my house that was throwing the football back and forth.

The kid, my brother being at the age of 12 had gotten quite fast and tall over the course of the last school year. I, being an older brother, the eldest son of the family, who wishes nothing more than to raise another strong healthy family member, tested his abilities. Sadly to say that I've once again overestimated him because as I let the ball sail threw the sky, I realized shortly afterwards that he missed his chance to catch it and the ball was already sailing towards the fence- and over it.

I ran after the football, jumping over the fence to old man Roshi's side that's when I found her. Sitting there on the flowerbed, pale smooth skin in a summer dress that hugged her perfect figure. Her wavy blue hair reached to her lower back, back then.

She looked up and smiled, those startling deep blue eye met mine.

That day my heart stopped beating for a full second before starting up again in a completely different pace.

I think that day I was reborn.

So a full month went by with the three of us running up and down the streets of the neighborhood bring hell on earth to many people as well as heaven to some.

She amazed me, captured every moment of my attention. One second she would be climbing up trees, telling ghost stories, and digging through garbage bins with 'Goku' and me. The next second she would be next to my mom learning how to bake cookies and clean the house. Then she would be playing sword fights using crooked wooden sticks with my brother and father.

Then came Juu, Chichi, and Krillian back from their vacation in Europe. For the six of us the beach became our second home, we would spend days swimming and surfing and nights filled with bonfires.

Her smile was addicting. She fascinated me; she's brave, smart, funny, and absolutely beautiful. From what I've seen so far in life, if a girl was beautiful they're complete bitches. If they're smart, they're usually nerds that can't hold up a decent conversation. But _she_ is completely different, I couldn't keep my eyes away from her even when she was playing dress up with Chichi and Juu, or having an eating contest with Krillian and 'Goku'.

Now as an 17 year old it doesn't take long to realize that she's a real jewel and that with someone like that around you, it's not hard to start falling for her. Which leads to the current situation, the real problem. Telling her.

I'm a straight forward guy. I don't like to beat around the brush. But with her it's always different.

* * *

I stretched, my stomach content with the food I just had. A lazy smile stretched across my face. 

"You're never going to stop smiling about getting your licenses are you?" Goku laughed as he turned his marshmallow over the fire.

We were gathered at the beach; a bonfire was set up, the sun was about to set, everything was simply beautiful.

"Nope." My smile widened.

Juu nudged me, following her gaze I saw a pretty girl with long dark hair and tanned skin stop in front of Vegeta, blocking his path back to where we were. The bikini she wore was green which complimented her skin.

"She's that girl that pushed me down in the parking lot on the first day of school right?"

"She's also the girl that is known as Vegeta's ex." Juu replied.

"So? Vegeta has a lot of exes doesn't he?" I muttered taking a drink from my water bottle. There was a _feeling_ sinking in my chest. One that I'm not familiar with: _Jealousy_?

"No. He only has about two or three."

"I think you should have clarified the fact that by 'exes' it meant the girl's he slept with and not just dated." Chichi stated sitting down across from me and Juu on the wooden log in front of the fire.

"He's not a virgin?!" I couldn't help the surprise leak from my voice. The _feeling_ was sinking even deeper. I shifted my legs, letting my bare feet dig into the cool sand. I know the guy is popular in school but still, I thought he always hung out with Goku, Krillan, Chi and Juu. With that much amount of time hanging around friends who would have time dating?

A masculine laugher came from the side. I shifted my eyes away from the pretty girl and Vegeta who were in a conversation near the shores to Raddize, Goku's older brother by a year.

"Vegeta? Virgin?!" He was laughing so hard tears where starting to come out the corner of his eyes. "Don't ever change Bulma. I love you the way you are now: naïve and innocent."

Closing my slightly agape mouth I kicked some sand at him with my foot.

"I'm not naïve!" I pouted defensively.

"And defiantly not that innocent." Juu teased, a wicked twinkle in her eyes, remaindering her clearly of all the mischief they had already caused in school.

"Where are you going?" Goku asked seeing me brushing myself off, he just came back from getting more drinks from the car. He raised a slight eyebrow at Juu, Chichi, Krillan, and Raddize laughing their heads off.

"Field trip to the washroom." I threw over my shoulder leaving the laughing crowd behind me. My eyes scanned the beach; it was covered with people, mostly teenagers. Most of them had already started a bonfire themselves before the sun completely set. Some of them just wanted to enjoy the night sky.

I couldn't take my eyes away from the sunset as I made my way towards the direction of the washroom.

I gasp tripping over something, closing my eyes and getting ready for an impact I felt nothing but strong hands supporting my weight as I leaned toward, my body slamming into a muscular chest. I blinked my eyes opened, looking up at Goku.

"Goku? How'd you get here so fast?" I asked incredulously, glancing back to where our bonfire was in a far distances.

"I flew." Goku smirked, his brown eyes teasing. "Apparently you were so fixed by the sunset that you didn't look up at the sky."

Slapping him lightly for teasing me, I looked down to where my foot tripped. It was a beach towel, someone left their beach towel here a long time ago, now it's all black and I can barely make out the picture on it.

"So are you going to the washroom or what?" Goku quirked a perfectly angled eyebrow up at me.

A smile spread across my lips as I narrowed my eyes at his well built figure. "I don't believe I have to anymore Goku Son."

I watched as he lowered his soft brown eyes to his shirt where I was looking just a few seconds ago. Two small hand prints made out of BBQ sauces was clearly placed on his chest, where I had placed them when I was falling to steady myself.

"Bulma." There was a threatening tone in that voice, his tall figure loomed over me

A lopsided grin was already covering my face as I turned and sprinted as fast as I could, his voice trailing dangerously close behind me.

Running with all my strength towards the bonfire (my self proclaimed "safe zone") and with adrenalin pumping through my veins, I glanced forward barely squeezing in a squeal of surprise through my giggles as I tried to stop myself before running straight on into Vegeta.

I gasped, all the air in my lungs were knocked out of me as my body rammed into Vegeta's chest. From my dazed state I could feel Vegeta's warm hands gripping my arm and back to steady me. I suppose it's was only natural that my body wasn't able to knock over Vegeta's massively strong one, even if I was running at least 40 mph.

"_Vegeta_!" I choked out between breaths trying to warn him of an oncoming missal named Goku. His face was emotionless and unreadable but in this proximity I can see his concern for me as he scanned me for any injuries.

From the second I turned my head to where Goku was running full speed unable to stop inches away from us, it was like playing a slow motion movie.

Strong arms jerked me around and all I felt was Vegeta's chest as I felt my whole body went flying down a few feet away from where we were standing. Strong warm arms wrapped tightly around my waist and head as we went sailing through the air.


	3. Part III

**a/n:** Sorry it took me so long to update this! And I also apologize for any grammar/spelling mistakes, I don't have a beta reader for this fic yet.

Dragonballgeek101- Thank you for the review!! I really do hope you enjoy this next chapter!

Shades of Crimson- :blushes: I'm so glad you like this story! I always loved your HS fics so its an honor to have you read mine. Oh! Sorry about the confusion, Vegeta wasn't in the car with her in the earlier chapters. He was waiting for her in front of her house.

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**Scattered Images  
**_Part III_

"It's not your fault." I said in my most reassuring voice to the Bulma's slumped form. It's not often I comfort someone; it's out of character for me. But then again, it's not often Bulma looks this depressed. She has always been so vibrant and energetic.

It's was actually starting to scare me that she hadn't say a word for almost an hour now. Barely even moved from the spot she is sitting in right now, on the sofa of Roshi's living room.

Chichi was always better at this then I was. Comforting people I mean.

"Besides, it's defiantly not the first time they laid on top of each other." I half smirked at her, placing an arm around her delicate shoulders.

"Thanks Juu." She graced me with a grin at that statement a little less tense than before.

"Don't make me sound so gay." Goku's masculine voice came into the room as he appeared at the doorway of the living room, his face was bruised: colors of blue, purple and yellow appearing on his right cheek and temple. Chichi came up from behind him carrying the medical kit back into the closet where it came from originally before walking over to Bulma, laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Well you are gay." Raddize stated in a confirming tone, coming into the room with Vegeta next to him, "I bet Chichi's grandma could have tackled better than you did back there. All that training and manage to _only_ break _one_ Vegeta's shoulder?"

Feeling Bulma's shoulders finally relaxing I glanced at her to see her studying Vegeta who's left shoulder was wrapped in white bandages, other than that there were no other scratches on him.

Then it happened.

For only a second I caught it: the expression on Vegeta's face when his eyes met hers. Something so soft, warm, and filled with reassurance for her.

It was masked over so fast that for a moment I would have thought that I had imagined it if it weren't for the fact that I had caught him looking at her out of the corner of his eyes when she didn't notice before; actually I had caught him doing that a lot of times before.



It shouldn't be a surprise to me, but still I felt the shock of surprise run through my body. It wasn't a surprise that Vegeta would fall for Bulma.

She is…, how do I put it?

Breathe taking? Perfect? No words could describe her since she's so unique. Her personality was what drew me to her in the first place. I'm not being modest or anything when I say this but I've never had many friends growing up, especially girl friends. For some reason it was always hard to get along with other girls. In fact, Chichi had been the only girl friend I had until Bulma came along. It had always been this bunch right here that I can call friends.

She had caught me off guard when Vegeta, Goku and her had come to pick them up from the airport.

She had worn a short denim shorts that revealed her long, sender leg. Creamy, smooth white skin with a small hint of being sun kissed. A casual white fitted t-shirt, her hair wavy a brilliant blue with natural streaks of lighter blue reached down her back. It was the kind of hair that Marron had spent years trying to dye and comb to. Her stunning eyes had caught mine and I was shocked to see how blue they were.

What **was** surprising, shocking really, was the tiny flashes of emotions I keep seeing on Vegeta when he watched her. It was one of those things I had put on my list of things I would never count on seeing during my life span. You know the list; things such as watching the whole world freezing over, Earth being taken over by aliens, Chichi hating to cook, etc.

I mean we **are** talking about Vegeta here. Vegeta who is always so unpredictable, unreadable, short-tempered, and so guarded. Vegeta who never had a steady relationship and never took any of the girls he dated seriously. I would be surprised if he even remembered any of their names. There were times when I did wonder if there was some sick family secrete that made him that way but when Bulma came in the picture, maybe it was all predestined that she would be the only one that can touch his soul.

Who knows.

My phone jotted me out of my thoughts and I noticed that Bulma had followed Vegeta into the kitchen while everyone else was engaged in a conversation Raddize had started earlier. Pulling the phone from my short denim jeans I flipped it open seeing that it was a text from Krillian, and despite myself a smile tugged at my lips.

How unusual for me to do that.

* * *

I glanced behind me to see her sit on the stool behind the kitchen counter as I dug into her refrigerator for something to drink. There was a moment of silence as she continued to stare at my back that was turned towards her.

Then, something I knew she was going to say broke the silence.



"I'm sorry." Her voice was soft almost a mere whisper, filled with guilt and shame her cheeks turned red as tears streaked down her smooth skin in a quick rate.

Shock was not something that strikes my body often. I rarely get thrown off by someone's reaction but as I stood in front of her open refrigerator, cool air pouring out, watching her cry over something so insignificant my heart seemed to crush against my own chest as each tear rolled down her face. The urge to wrap my arms around her was so great that my body was already starting to do it without a thought.

Her delicate body shaking as she slowly calmed herself, the unique sent mixed with lavender, the weight of her head against my bare shoulder, the silkiness of her blue hair against my chest, the perfection of how well she fits in my arms. I was suddenly reminded of how much I wanted to protect this, to protect her.

My body had done it without a second thought an hour back. Seeing Kakkarote running with a speed that was impossible to stop in such a short distance between them, a speed that would have crushed her if I had not been quick enough to pull her in my arms and switch places with her.

When they had landed on top of her I had heard the sickening crack of bones and at that moment fear gripped me like nothing I had ever felt before in my life. The fear of looking down to find a limp lifeless form of someone I had desperately wanted to protect from the moment I laid eyes on her.

Nothing could have compared to it: the fear of losing her, of never seeing her smile again, never hearing the clear sound of her laughter, never feel my body freeze when her deep blue eyes focus so intensely on me, of waking up every morning with eagerness for a whole new day spent with her. That fear was a completely new kind, a kind that ate at me. It unrivaled anything I've ever felt before; not even the time when my father had held me over a cliff of a mountain threatening to drop me if I didn't get the stupid science question right.

Relief had flooded through me seeing that she was blinking right back at up at me, her warm breath tickling my skin and her body breathing heavily stranding for air underneath the weight of both me and Kakkarote. I realized that despite my best effort to carry both my own weight and Kakkarote's there was a strain on my left shoulder making the left side of my body crush against her.

Then the rest was history as blind rage took over me, as I'm sure there were 50 other witnesses on the beach, watching me push a dazed Kakkarote off my back and throwing punches at his face for his stupidity.

Didn't he know how dangerous it would have been if he really did knock into Bulma? Didn't he know that a hit like that could have snapped her neck off?

She twisted a little in my arms and I realized that I must have tightened my arms around her during my train of thoughts. She placed a cool hand on my chest giving me the same look she gave me as she, Raddize, Krillian, and Juu pulled me away from a bloody Kakkarote.

I knew what that expression meant: "I shouldn't blame 'Goku' for what happened, it was just an accident."

I sighed slowly letting my arms drop to my side before going back to the refrigerator and she gave me a sheepish grin. Silently I mused at how much she can understood about me in such a short period of time.

* * *

_She adores her brother_. That was obviously clear, as obvious as the fact that the sky was blue.

Raddize and I were actually the first person to meet Bulma and her brother, Trunks. That was only because Roshi knew my grandfather Gohan.

Grandpa Gohan was the one that raised me and my brother since our parents died when we were both just babies. He had came home one night, slightly different than usual; deep in thought about something.

The next day he had taken both me and Raddize out to eat lunch at Roshi's place, it wasn't unusual to have lunch at Roshi's place. In fact it happens a lot, either we would go over or Roshi would be over at our place.

It was when I was walking to the beach at the back of the house that I saw him, Trunks I mean. Don't get me wrong I'm defiantly straight but you have to understand that for a guy to admit that another guy is hot, than it must really mean that he is something to look at. Clean crisp white shirt and a pair of ripped jeans, he could easily see the toned muscles beneath it. Clear masculine features, sharp strong jaws, perfectly shaped nose, dark blue hair, almost black reached to the nape of his neck was ruffled by the beach wind which I'm sure most guys spend hours in the bathroom trying to get that effect. A guy that could easily have any girl he wanted without effort.

It wasn't this guy's pretty face that stopped me dead on the back porch of Roshi's place but the girl that came up behind him. I had seen a lot of beautiful girls in my short life time, hell, I was best friends with two amazingly beautiful girls since childhood but there was something about her that set her apart.

Bulma, I had later learned her name was Roshi's granddaughter, from her mother's side.

Breath takingly gorgeous.

The expression of laugher that seemed to light up the whole beach was on her features. Instantly, I was willing to do anything to keep that expression on her. Pale, smooth skinned her long slender legs were bare since she wore a short denim, her bare feet dug into the sand. He would have thought that she was an ocean nymph if she wasn't wearing an over sized t-shirt, which most probably it belonged to the guy next to her. Blue wavy hair that was shining lusciously under the afternoon sun, reached to her lower back and was being gently caressed by the wind. When her shockingly deep blue eyes turned to focus on me, I remember I could barely breathe from awe. It was as if she could see right through my soul and hear every word I was thinking. Her eyes were drowning me and yet I was so drawn by her gaze that I didn't dare to breath for fear that she might look away that she would look somewhere else but at me.

It wasn't until Trunks had stepped in front of her, covering her protectively behind him that I realized I had been staring at her. In normal circumstances if I had been caught staring at a beautiful girl I would have scratched my head (a bad habit) and laugh my way out of it, but the intense expression on his face chocked that thought out of me.

I had seen it and felt it so clearly: the look of suspicion, of hate, of disgust, of anger close to searing rage was pounding through his veins so loud like the deep growling of a lion in front of its prey, I could feel the waves rippling off of him shake against my body.

Fear that I rarely feel was spreading unstoppably through my body.



I am, to this day, certain that in that next second he would have lash out and tore my head off if the sound of Bulma's soft questioning voice calling his name didn't reach him. She had poked her head out from behind his well defined shoulders to look up at him.

And I, from my view saw the expression he had just a second ago wiped completely off of his face into an expression of indifference right before he turned his head so Bulma could see him. It had happen so fast that I had been thrown off, feeling numb, for a second I wondered if it really happened at all.

"We're going back inside." His voice was deep, rich. Words rolled out naturally like velvet. It wasn't a command he directed to the girl behind him because I could sense a tint of coaxing in it. And despite him being clearly the older sibling, I could tell that he wishes nothing more than the please her.

His hand gripped her slender ones as he quickly walked away pulling the blue haired girl with him. He had chosen to take the side entrance of the house instead of going pass me not so much that he was afraid but more like he didn't want to take her near me.

I realized later on that day, when we were heading back to my house that Gohan and Roshi had wanted to introduce the two to me and my brother but to my guess Trunks must have said something to prevent that since Roshi had came downstairs alone for lunch.

Despite that encounter I had wanted to see them again, I had wanted to see _**her**_ again. So I found excuses to go over to Vegeta's place every day for the next couple of days.

Before that fateful day of the encounter between Vegeta and her, I had not even seen a glimpse of her at the window or outside, I had almost believed that she was out of town.

Then Vegeta's football flew over the fence, they met, and then what happened afterwards was a blur to me. Vegeta had help Bulma up (which was very uncharacteristic of him) and the three of them had started talking and laughing.

I can still remember the fascination that crossed both me and Vegeta as we glanced at each other before turning back to watch her laugh, her cheeks blushing red as she held her stomach and tears collecting at the corner of her eyes, her laughter like the sound of bells, so very sweet, pure, and fresh. It was a kind of laugh that inspires great artists like Vivaldi to create the _Four Seasons_.



Trunks who had silently came around the house also wore an expression of surprise upon seeing the scene. I guess it was after that incident that Trunks finally cautiously began to befriend them. It wasn't hard for them to be friends; Trunks, Vegeta and me, I mean. We had a lot more in common then one would think. I had an inkling feeling that Trunks would get along with Vegeta. They were so much alike in many ways. It took two whole weeks before Bulma was finally able to hang out alone with me and Vegeta, having gained enough trust from Trunks.

Then as you know it, days that pass seemed like weeks, and weeks felt like months and it felt as if Vegeta and I had known Bulma since forever. There were endless nights of bonfire, barbeques, reckless juvenile behavior, endless stupid and pointless jokes and pranks. They were inseparable, always together until the wee hours of the night and met up even before the sun rised to cause havoc to where ever the wind blew them to that day.

During the earlier days, before Trunks had to go off to college we had already learned not to inquire about their past. You know, the whole so-what-brought-you-to-sunny-Cali-with-old-man-Roshi? questions were defiantly off limits. So it was shocking when Trunks started talking about his and Bulma's past.

It was a peaceful night, with a clear sky filled with stars, they were of course at the beach with a bonfire made and Bulma laid on the sand practically passed out from exhaustion from the surfing lessons that Vegeta and I had given her the entire day. Vegeta was already watching over Bulma from the corner of his eyes, something I also notice Trunks did quite often as well. Another realization, I had, of how very much alike the two of them were.

Trunks was like her eternal guardian, always showing up when she was just about to slip and fall or when she needed any sort of help, he was always a second away when she calls out for him. It's almost as if he appears out of thin air.

It wasn't like Trunks poured his heart and soul out that night, that's defiantly something he won't do but he can be a very calculating person I can bet you anything that he told us just enough to make sure we won't corner Bulma with questions when he's away at college. I can't help but smirk thinking back now, he was always one step ahead when it involves Bulma. That is expected of course, something so obviously important and rare in this world.

Their parents had passed away, that much was clear. He had told them that they lived through hell before Roshi came and got them from the people they were sent to live with after their parents died.

The explanation was simple and clear, yet it still left many unanswered questions.

One thing I'll never be able to forget was the look in his eyes as he watch Bulma's sleeping form sprawl out in childish innocence against the vase sky. It was a haunted look, a look of fear for Bulma's sake. Then that expression passed and a smile of amusement was on his lips, _"I don't think she has slept this peaceful for a long while."_ His voice deep but filled with gentleness and softness that he would only use for his sister.

On the beach earlier today, I had been glad that Vegeta had punched me, you have no idea how stupid I felt for forgetting how delicate Bulma could be. I had grown up with Chichi, who was strong and knew how to fight back if you threw a punch her way. I had been use to Juu who had once crushed my figures while arm wrestling me. Both of them play rough, sometimes even 

rougher than us boys. She is always so head strong, so determined, so sure of herself. I keep on forgetting how breakable she was and how prune to bruises she is.

So when Vegeta had punched me over and over again despite his broken arm I had silently welcomed it. I'm sure if it was Trunks, he would have had my head drifting in the ocean without a second thought already

Bulma adores her brother, like I said. And Trunks? He devoted his life to her, it seemed like the very essences and purpose he was in this world is to protect her.

And that is something I can see Vegeta mirroring.

* * *

**a/n:** So what did you think of this point of view from Goku? I know 18/Juu's was a bit short, but maybe I will show a bit more of her thoughts in the future.

Tell me what you think please! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


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